After another impressive showing in the heat James Petty secured the 2nd row alongside Jack Adams.

Green Lights!

Go!

Jake’s has had his Ready Brek this morning and even gone back for seconds, he passed Harry and grabs the lead, Harry not out of danger yet as James Petty’s now on the prowl.

Jack Adams’ not so fast start results in Oliver Flashman securing 4th just as the wheels on James Petty’s pursuit for 2nd start slowing! James runs wide and collecting the barriers slows his progress and now he has pretty much everyone tussling for away past.

Harry Nottage wants to tighten his grip on the Championship lead and after losing the lead for a lap, he takes it straight back giving the unwanted 2nd position back to Jake.

Disaster for James Petty! He’s in the pitlane, battle scarred after a challenging couple of laps, James isn’t our luckiest driver in the championship.

Thomas Foss’ improvement each round is continuing, he has “Best Mate” Donny Bolt as his shadow, the two of them are in attack mode trying to halt the advances of new boy Aaron Clark.

Jack Adam’s races inst improving, after his tussle with James Petty he’s found himself having to combat the absolutely rapid Adam Harrad! Adam started the race 11th and is now fighting for a top 4 position at Jack expense, Adam isn’t alone.

Another new boy joining Adam in the Jack attack is another Aaron, Aaron Collett’s first race here at Lakeside is going from strength to strength.

Ben Cudby’s improving pace results in him sharing the same tarmac with another of our title contenders, Dylan Cotton.
Ben isn’t in the mood for taking prisons as he slices his way past Dylan was a great move on the inside into the hairpin.

Back at the front Harry Nottage can’t shake of the bad smell that is Jake Taplin, the duo now have an impressive lead over 3rd placed Oliver Flashman, the top are in a league of their own recording lap times half a second faster than the competition.

Jack Adam’s hard work comes undone as both Adam and Aaron fight their way past to 4th and 5th leaving Jack to now hold of Ben Cudby.

Harry Nottage is all smiles, crossing the line to collect another win and inch closer to his championship crown.
Jake Taplin collects a hard fought 2nd place with Oliver Flashman a distant 3rd position, that’s two podiums in two races for Oliver.

Matt Hill, that’s “Mr Spinach” to you and I secured pole position on his birthday after a stella performance in the heats.

Matt would need to have one eye over his shoulder as Jack Goldsmith secured 2nd on the grid with Lee Chapman 3rd and Jonathan Seekings 4th.

“The survivor” Wayne Jenkins managed to secure the final spot on the A Final grid having survived the earthquake that was the B Final.

Under starters orders!

And their of!

A mega start from Jack Goldsmith saw him challenging for the lead into the first corner, he ain’t called Popeye for no reason, Matt defends his position like Olive Oyl’s life depends on it and keeps his position.

Having survived the B final Wayne would be hoping for a less dramatic affair in the A final, he quickly found the immovable object that was Aaron Whith, these two would spend the entire race replicating a Chuckle Brokers sketch, swapping personal fastest laps, “To Me, To You.”

With huge kudos points available in the Heavyweight Championship, this was a race with two different races, if that makes sense?

James Alford has been having it all his own way recently, leading the championship and collecting maximum points at the last round.

Welcome to competition Kevin Lestrange!

Both Kevin and James also found themselves sharing the same piece of tarmac in 6th and 7th, maximum Heavyweight points were on the line for this position.

After a good start Joe Higgins found himself, by himself, with the top 7 drivers ahead and Joe in 8th with a large gap behind Joe settled in.

Behind Joe was the family affair, dad was leading lad, after not such a great early start of the race Brandon was now trailing dad Matthew, good luck trying to get past dad

DCIM100MEDIADJI_0985.JPG

Jonathan Seeking must have been sharing Popeyes’ spinach, hes the only driver in the front pack on the move, he passed Lee Chapman who now has Donny Bolt for company and now looking likely to pass Jack Goldsmith.

Less than a second separates the top 4 drivers with the top 3 looking like the Human Caterpillar!

Donny Bolt’s 4th looked now confirmed with Lee Chapman becoming a smaller and smaller object in the horizon, it looked more likely that the heavyweight battle behind, headed by Kevin Lestrange would be Donny next visitor.
Donny answers his critic with an amazing lap, where did that come from? Donny’s laptime of 43.738 is nearly half a second faster than anyone, a little to late from Donny.

The Birthday boy flexes his muscle, crosses the line and collects the victory! Winner Winner,

It’s spinach for dinner.

Jack Goldsmith collects a strong 2nd position an inch behind Matt and a further inch ahead of Jonathan Seekings, Fantastic driving from our top three.

As the Lakeside Karting Race League reaches its half way point its Harry Nottage grinning from ear to hear, sitting pretty at the top of the table.
The hugely competitive Youth Pro Championship has had a different championship leader after each round with Peter Knight, Dylan Cotton and now Harry Nottage having held the mantle at some point.
A measly 5 points currently separate the top 4 drivers with it all to play for in the remaining three rounds.

Harry Nottage secured his first ever race meeting victory on the previous round, round 3, however eyebrows were raised as new driver Oliver Flashman joined the Championship.

Brentwood Karting Race League Senior Champion Oliver Flashman joined the Lakeside competition and made the best possible impact with a podium on his debut, one to watch I’m sure.

It wasn’t the best round 3 for James Petty, James finds himself 5th in the standings joint on points with 6th places James Barnard, round 4 is just around the corner we’re sure to see The Battle Of The James’ continue as both want to cement themselves in the top 5 places.

The ever improving Ben Cudby has fought his way up to battle with the more experienced Adam Brition as the pair both share 28 points, just a single point behind Eoin Crowley and another point away from Jack Bebbington. Both Adam and Ben will be looking to repeat or better their round 2 scores as that remains their highest scores to date.

Jack Adams is like a bad smell as no one want’s to be anywhere near him, after missing round 1 and an average score for a driver of Jack’s class in round 2, Jack’s great score in round 3 resulted in him holding a strong 7th place, 10 points ahead of Jack Bebbington and 8 behind James Barnard.

Looking at the top of the table Harry’s nearest competitor, Peter Knight already had a missed week as his dropped lowest score putting him on the back foot with Jake Taplin in 3rd waiting for the front two to miss an apex or run wide. Peter Knight is the only driver in the top three who has not yet picked up a fastest lap point and with the championship this close every point really does count.

Pro Championship.

Jack Goldsmith already has one hand and a couple of fingers on the Championship title and the amazing price of a TeamHARD test day in the impressive VW Cup race car as he managed to extend his lead in round 3 to a staggering 19 points, the class of the field hasn’t had an easy ride despite the scorecards with him having to carry the most weight as he has the physique of a 12 year old girl.

Jonathan Seeking is Jack nearest challenger, having missed the last round due to wanting to watch grown men throw up and chuck sticks instead of going karting Jack’s on the back foot and rather than catch Jack, Jonathan looks more likely to be caught from behind from the fast charging Lee Chapman who has secured solid scores in all three rounds. Despite looking fragile Jonathan did manage to do the impossible and actually beat Jack in round 2 when Jack finished 4th.

James Alfords introduction to the Lakeside Race League has so far been an impressive one, as a heavy weight driver James heads the Heavyweight Championship and holds a solid 9th position in the overall championship.

6th placed Joe Crane has a friend in the shape of 7th place Liam Hamblin, Liam took a chunk out of Joe’s advantage at round three as the momentum well and truly changed, a slow start from a driver of Liam’s abilities, what does round 4 hold in store?

The One To Watch! This season driver to watch is Spinach enthusiast and general Popeye fan Matthew Hill! Matt was a no-show at round 1 but following that up with two strong result has propelled Matt to 5th in the standing and next On Popeye’s list is Donny Bolt’s fragile 4th position. Donny’s less than perfect result in round 2 and 3 means he has all the work to do in round 4, let’s hope we see Donny back to high scoring ways as there’s more than one person wanting Donny’s lofty position.

Dovydas Pukinskis just holds onto a top 10 position with an absents from Dovydas at the last round, like Donny, round 4 is going to be very important indeed.

So, You want to get a quicker time? Of course you do! Why wouldn’t you? Faster Lap time means closer to winning OR a further lead on your opponents! Well, how exactly do you go about doing that? Honestly, everyone is different, but these tips and tricks should hopefully have at least one helpful nugget for you to improve your game!

Without further ado, let’s get into it!

KEEP AN EYE ON THOSE HANDS!

Obviously, karts can have very sensitive steering. So, it is important to remember to keep your hands at a “Quarter to three” position at all times that you’re racing. This will give you A LOT more control over your kart, it also will let you react to slide a lot faster.

CONTROL YOUR BRAKES!

Braking in a kart is a LOT different to braking in a car! Things are almost backwards. As, with a kart, the braking only works on the back wheels. So, when braking for a corner, you have to be hitting them brakes HARD, almost to the point of them locking. Then, as you get closer to the apex of the corner, you then slowly release the pressure from your brake. This will give you the ideal braking manoeuvre that will allow you to take corners without losing the valuable seconds.

TAKING A CORNER TOO EARLY

A common mistake a lot of novice and even more serious karters do, is that they take corners too early. If you find yourself sliding out of the corners too wide or find that you’re losing speed, then you’re taking them too early. The solution? Simple. Slow down and take your time, aim for a later apex. If you hit it right, then you will be able to accelerate without running wide on the exit. So, don’t forget, go slow in and exit fast.

LOOK WHERE YOU’RE GOING

Being in a kart can be an overload for your senses! There’s going to be a lot going on and a lot of noise. You’re going to be low to the ground, everything seems twice as fast when you’re that low to the floor. A common mistake that most karters make, is they only look a few metres ahead of their karts nose. They give themselves tunnel vision, this is a cause of the speed effects. So, to combat this, you need to look ahead to the next section of track. This will trick your brain and help you slow things down as it gives your brain more time to process what’s coming. It seems simple enough, but it will help massively!

KEEP YOURSELF MOVING!

So, One thing that all successful racers are good at is keeping their speed throughout races. A key point to remember is to ensure that you are braking in the right place on those corners. This will help you keep your speed constant! On the exit is where you want to be going fast. Remember, enter slow and exit fast!

DON’T GET INTIMIDATED!

If you’re out there racing, and you get overtaken, it’s important to not let it get to you! If you let it get you angry or emotional, then you’re more than likely not going to pull it back. Instead, study them! See what they’re doing that you aren’t! See how they’re taking and leaving corners. Keep an eye on the little things they’re doing to get them ahead, and then put them into practice for yourself! Studying other faster, and maybe, more experienced racers is one way to learn and probably one of the best ways to learn and put them into practice!

So, remember!

Look where you’re going! Focus more on the next section of circuit to give yourself more prep time!

Keep yourself moving! Make sure your speed is constant!

Don’t get intimidated! Keep your emotions out of a race!

Keeping these in mind on your next race will hopefully help exponentially! So, why not put these to the test here at Lakeside Karting! We’re located in Thurrock, Essex, opposite from Lakeside Shopping Centre.

We hope to see you at our track trying these out soon! Let us know if they’ve helped at all and if you have any tips of your own or any other helpful blogs, then let us know!

We’ll see you soon!

]]>Wet Weather Kartinghttps://www.lakeside-karting.co.uk/blog/wet-weather-karting/
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 16:13:11 +0000http://www.lakeside-karting.co.uk/blog/?p=703Tips and Tricks that will help you cross the line first in Wet Weather!

The Winter weather is very unpredictable. One day it can be sunny and a bit chilly, the next you’ll be swimming to the shops. This kind of weather can normally make any kind of Karter nervous! However, you shouldn’t be! If anything, karting in these sorts of wet conditions will make you an overall better Karter! We encourage you to get out there at least once because Wet Weather Karting can be a whole lot of fun!

And after reading this blog, you’ll have no reason not to!

Where to Start?

Learning a few simple yet effective tips and tricks on how to Kart in Wet Weather will have you looking forward to taking on all elements in our new 390CC Karts.

The first thing you need to do is, forget about being cautious on the brakes, don’t turn gently with the steering. With these tips, you could stomp on the brakes and snap the steering wheel.

Find the Wet Line for Wet Weather Go Karting

So, is the fastest line around the track in the wet the same as in the dry? 99% of the time the answer is no. We can’t tell you the exact wet line for every track, but if your Wet Weather Karting at our International Circuit, we can give you a pretty good place to start. In the dry, the best grip is normally found on the normal racing line, and that is where all the tyre rubber gets laid down giving even more grip. But when it rains, rubber is, obviously, slippery- so you have to go and find a new line where there is no rubber. Normally it’s on the outside of the corner. If you’re planning an adult karting event or junior go-karting at our International Circuit, then take a look at the circuit before you drive, you can easily see the darker racing line covered in rubber, and where you can see a lighter colour there isn’t so much rubber….and in the wet that’s where you want your kart to be! Keep those observations in mind when driving in the wet. You will find you need to experiment using the wet line, and there will be more than one way round on a wet line. You have to go out there and, by using trial and error, you’ll have to find where that grip is and that is pretty much it with the wet line…not such a mystery after all!

Wet Driving Techniques that really work!

For a kart to work and get you around a corner it needs to lift the rear wheel on the inside of the kart, and to do that it needs a certain amount of grip to get the chassis to roll over toward the outside front wheel. In the wet, you find there is nowhere near enough grip to get a kart to do that easily…..so we have to force the kart to tip!

Here’s how we go about forcing the kart to work how we need it to:

Say, that you are approaching a tight 90 degree left bend, what do you do?

When you brake hit the pedal in a short sharp motion, enough to get the rear tyres to lock almost and bite into the track. A nice gentle push on the brake just will not do, it just kills the kart. We want the kart to feel quite lively, and you need to get it working and biting so you can get a feel for the grip. You also want to reduce the amount of time on the brakes! The braking needs to be out of the way before you turn in.

Remember we are taking a wet line AWAY from the rubber. So, we turn into the boot very very late. Then, when you turn the wheel you need to snap it into full lock…hard and fast.

Now, the kart doesn’t turn and spin….you turned the wheel so fast and it’s like you shocked it into a huge understeer. But, you are also getting maximum jacking effect from the front end and when the kart finds a bit of grip it will turn….and it will turn very sharp. Also, since the front end is sliding, it is slowing you down too, acting like front brakes.

When you snap that steering wheel around, you will naturally need to lean forward a little because turning the wheel will extend your reach. This is a good thing! You should lean forward and towards the outside of the kart. In doing that, you are taking weight from the rear and putting it over the front, which helps the kart to lift that rear inside wheel.

When you get the timing right, you will find the kart turns quite hard and sharp, that’s when you need to get your weight back over the rear wheels. Get the steering as straight as possible and then accelerate away! Remember to introduce the power gradually feeling for traction…always being careful to get as much traction as possible.

That’s it! Now that you’ve committed these wet weather karting tips to memory, come down to Lakeside Karting in Essex to get some outdoor karting practice in and release the champion within you! We have the largest and fastest go-karting track in Essex and the South East, open all year round and in all weathers for adult karting and junior go-karting.

We hope to see you soon!

]]>Outdoor vs Indoor Karting?https://www.lakeside-karting.co.uk/blog/outdoor-vs-indoor-karting/
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 16:12:04 +0000http://www.lakeside-karting.co.uk/blog/?p=701 When it comes to Karting, choosing the Circuit is an extremely important decision. It’s imperative to know what you’re looking at getting out of your session. So here are some Pro’s and Con’s to help you choose.

Pro’s of Outdoor Karting.

The biggest pull for Outdoor tracks is the fact that we’re outdoors. I know it sounds obvious but this factor is obviously a huge influence on why people come here. When you drive outdoors, you feel the speed of which you’re travelling, you feel the wind in your face and the gravity pulling you back in your seat. It’s an exhilarating sensation and one that you can’t get at an Indoor track as you cannot replicate the natural feel. With that, the weather. The weather will ALWAYS play a factor in racing! When the weather is great, it’s great! You get the racing sensation, the sunlight beaming on the track and making the circuit pop and look amazing. No artificial lighting. No nonsense.

Another advantage with being an Outdoor track is space. There is a lot more space on Outdoor tracks than there are with Indoor ones. With having so much more space, it makes it safer to be outside (Contrary to popular opinion). Space allows us to have Run-Off Room, so if you crash into a barrier, you’re just going to go straight onto grass which is gonna help you reduce speed. It also allows us to have a much wider track. This is excellent for overtaking other racers and makes it a lot safer, rather than trying to overtake on narrow tracks. Due to all of these pros of Outdoor tracks, it means that they’re also perfect locations for Professionals to train and for events to be held, as well as Championships. Most professional events and Championships are held at Outdoor tracks because of the safety, space and the atmosphere.

Cons of Outdoor Circuits

However, nothing is perfect and everything has its flaws. Just like our first Pro, our first Con is also the weather. Now, while it may be amazing when it’s sunny when it’s raining, it’s a whole different story. Getting soaked isn’t many people’s idea of fun, and so sitting in a kart and driving round in it isn’t going to be pleasant. While some tracks, much like us here at Lakeside and Brentwood, offer waterproofs that fit over our jumpsuits, that still isn’t enough sometimes.

While Outdoor circuits are ideal for professionals training and events, if you aren’t a professional, it can make the experience rather tough, especially if you’re racing them. Racing in the same session as Professionals could make the experience very unenjoyable as you may be a novice or a beginner looking to take it on professionally, but racing against them in your first few practice races may not be the best for self-esteem. Also, if you’re there to just race as a laugh and to do it for the pure purpose of fun, then racing against a professional who is trying to train, would really make it very tedious for everyone.

Pro’s of Indoor Karting.

As always, the weather plays a crucial part in racing and here, it’s no exception. However, at Indoor circuits, you don’t need to worry about the weather, it could be torrential rain, high winds or even snowing and your driving will not be affected. The only time the weather will affect your experience is the obvious, “Risk to Safety” type weather, but other than that, you’re all clear and will not have cancellations due to weather.

The Indoor karts are usually more covered than their Outdoor counterparts as well, which means less exposed machinery, an obvious positive.

These types of circuits are, also, just as good for the more novice of drivers. They’re a good place to learn the basics of karting and to get familiar with the rules, just like at Outdoor Circuits. Unlike Outdoor circuits, however, the prices are considerably lower, making it better for the more novice/beginner drivers or if you’re just wanting to do it for a day out.

Cons of Indoor Karting

As mentioned in the “Pro’s of Outdoor Karting” section, their circuits have the boundary of space. There is barely, if ANY, Run-Off room at Indoor Circuits, if you crash into a barrier, you’re bouncing back off and potentially into the paths of other karters. So, ideally, you don’t want this to happen as it’s a very clear safety risk. Also, as mentioned before, these tracks are also more crammed together and so have to be thinner than their outside competitors. This also makes it harder to overtake but also more likely to cause crashes than it would and an Outdoor Circuit. These types of circuits, also, keep costs down by having fewer marshalls on track. This does help them keep it cheap for the customer, but it also does make them more vulnerable as they’re being marshalled by cameras and fewer marshalls. Fewer marshalls mean if there is a crash or accident, you may be further away from help than you would be at an Outdoor track.

The authenticity problem is also prevalent at Indoor Circuits. As mentioned in the “Pro’s of Outdoor Karting”, you get a very real and strong sense of excitement and a rush from driving outdoors, but that is a sensation that cannot be recreated indoors. This is mainly due to the fact there’s barely any air flow, there’s no wind or natural factors, and you just can’t go as quickly around the circuit as you can outside, because of the restrictive tracks.

Conclusion

All types of tracks are different, but all have their pro’s and con’s. The track that is right for you, all depends on what you want to get out of your karting experience, do you want to make the most of your money and do you want to drive safely or on a track that leads to a wall as a barrier?

Sorry! We are just having trouble containing our excitement! OUR HALF PRICE VOUCHERS ARE BACK! Yes! It’s that time of year already! Now, we know karting can be a tad over budget! However, with these vouchers you can give yourself, or a race fan you know, a VERY Merry Christmas!

Our Half Price Voucher campaign has been a proven success since it’s first year, and we’re hoping this year will be no different! With vouchers that are up in the hundreds on offer, there’s no reason to miss out! Just think, you could, in theory, buy enough vouchers to get you or your race fanatic a whole years worth of karting, for nothing! You do still have to pay for them, but for half the price, so it’s just as good!

These vouchers will be amazing for anyone and everyone who loves Karting!

BUT! These aren’t JUST for our Karting Circuits! They’re also usable at our Outdoor Laser Warfare Arena! Which is perfect as we now have a Fortnite Addition for fans of the popular video game!

So, whether you’re wanting to gift cheaper/free karting or a fun day out with some friends at our Laser Arena, these vouchers are the perfect gifts!

So, if you’re looking to get someone the gift of Happiness this Christmas, then look no further than Lakeside and Brentwood Karting and Laser Warfare.

For full T&C’s regarding our Vouchers, you can find them here: https://go-karting-vouchers.co.uk/

And so, what place better to have a Christmas party, than at our karting circuit!?

Just think, you and your team/coworkers all in ugly Christmas jumpers, sipping on beer after racing one another on our fantastic International Circuit!?

We’ve got 2 packages to offer you at each of our circuits:

The first package is exclusively at Brentwood Karting.
For £40 per head, you and your group will race each other in our great 270cc karts. First, you will get a 5-minute warm-up session that leads straight into a 10-minute qualifier. After this, you will then receive a 15-minute break. Use this time wisely, however, as after this break, your final race will begin. The final race will last for 15-minutes and will determine who will take their place on our podium! Once the race is done and the racers are ready, a Trophy ceremony will commence. Also, for an added £5, pizza can be made available for you and your party along with 1 bottle of beer per head.

The second package is exclusively at Lakeside Karting.
This package is £50 per head. With this package, you will get to take on your party using our incredible 390cc karts. You will start with a 5-minute warm-up session that will lead straight into a 10-minute qualifier. After this, you will receive a 15-minute break. This is where you will get the opportunity to devise a game plan for the final race. The final race is a 15-minute long event that will decide who will be taking a place on our podium. We will then commence with the Trophy Celebration. Also, for £5 extra a head, Pizza and 1 beer per head can be made available for you and your party!

Finally, package number 3, this is available at either circuit and is £60 per head. You will start off with a 15-minute practice session which is then followed by a 15-minute break. Then, we get the real competition started with a 15-minute qualifier. After that and a second 15-minute break, we then get you and your team going head to head with a 15-minute grid start final. All will be to play for, and the winners will be announced at a Trophy presentation. Finally, for an additional £5 per head, pizza and a bottle of beer per head can be made for available for you and the whole party. This Party can be thrown using either of our Karts; 270cc or 390cc.

These parties can get you exclusive use of the track for any party over the size of 15 attendees. Any less will have to have their party as an Open Session.
Also, these parties are ONLY available during the week, on Weekdays. However, if you wanted it in the evening on a weekday, then there is a £5 supplement per head.

But remember…

It’s the time for giving, so why not give your coworkers a sense of false friendly competition and get out there and race!!

As the Winter series begins the winter weather returns as we’re greeted with the usual British weather: Grey, cloudy and lots or rain.

Peter Knight returns to the action with a point to prove after missing out on the Summer Championship title on the final race of the season.

Peter manages to secure pole position for the A final.
A great result in the earlier heats secures a front row start for Dylan Cotton, James Barnard shares the second row of the grid with Harry Nottage.

The lights go out and the race begins!

Peter goes full “Meatloaf” hitting the track like a battering ram and gaining a healthy lead almost immediately, leaving Dylan clinging onto his 2nd place with a herd of drivers snapping at his bumper bolts!
Oh dear oh dear! Current Champion James Rose isn’t having much fun, a poor 1st lap leaves him with a mountain to climb down in 11th.

Keep On running, keep on hiding! Much like Peter, James Petty’s got some inspiration; he’s gone full Spencer Davis, throwing himself into the action, what was 7th is now 4th.

Dylan’s time holding 2nd doesn’t last as James Barnard takes the reins, he still has a lot of work to do as the gap to race leader is now gauged by postcodes rather than seconds!

Ben Cudby’s latest battle involves both Jagjeet Singh and Adam Brition as the trio seem adamant to share the same part of the tarmac leaving Jack Bebbington the space to stretch his legs, this wasn’t the only battle on the track away from the one at the front.

Eoin Crowley’s first ever Lakeside race was a good one as he and Jake Taplin fought for 5th, Jake had the early success keeping Eoin’s advances under full control, this duo soon had a friend, and not a very happy one as Dylan was passed by the super-charged James Petty, forcing our 2nd placed starter down to 4th and into the Taplin – Crowley battle.

Another new driver, Dylan Stanley soon had is face full of Champion James Rose as James’ struggles continued giving Dylan some much needed inspiration and company.

Thomas Foss and Adam Harrad rounded of the A final positions within touching distance of Dylan Stanley.

As the old saying goes, “It ain’t over till the fat lady sings” and with no volunteers, a silence filled the air and James Barnard kept charging!

Peter’s healthy lead was, well, still healthy but now reduced to 5 seconds as James recorded fastest lap after fastest lap after fastest lap…

James kept huffing and puffing, but with no effect on Peter’s perfect day, that’s the best way to start the championship.

Victory for Peter is followed by an equally happy James Barnard in 2nd and a great result from “Driver Of The Day” James Petty in 3rd.

Round 1 of the Winter Championship and the winter weather greats us once again at Lakeside Karting, real karting weather!

There’s always only one cock in the hen house and that mantel fell once again to Jack Goldsmith and he grabbed it with both hands, taking pride of place on pole position for the A final.
Donny Bolt just edges Jonathan Seekings to the front row leaving Jonathan to share row two with Lee Chapman.

A great start from Donny results in Jack’s 1st place under threat but not for long, door well and truly closed as the pack enters complex and it’s Jonathan Seeking who makes the most of the opportunity and collects 2nd place

Three into one doesn’t fit…. Jonathan Seekings finds this out at his own expense handing 2nd to Lee Chapman and filling a lowly 9th position.

Going his own way is Jack Goldsmith, he has a huge lead as the pack behind continue squabbling for position totally removing the pressure from what is quickly becoming our runaway leader.

Top heavyweight driver, James Alford is still defying the odds and now has his sights set on Dovydas and Joe Crane as the three look for a top 5 finish, they are soon all joined and passed by the recovering Jonathan Seeking as he steams back through the field in hunt of as podium position.

It’s a frantic pace at the front from Jack Goldsmith, he isn’t relaxing with a comfortable lead, he’s still pushing, the nearest driver to his pace is Donny Bolt and the charging Jonathan Seekings.

Lakeside rookie, Liam Hamblin has his own private circuit, he’s a mile clear of the competition behind headed by Mark Smith and currently closing the gap to James Alford ahead.

Adrian Conweh has Barrington Smith and Cameron Alston for company as this trio look to not be the “One At The Back” It’s Cameron with the bit between his teeth, passing Adrian and slowly but surely pulling clear.

Lee Chapman’s becomes Mr Lonely, with Liam now on the chomping on James’ bumper bolts, Lee now has a 13 seconds gap ahead and a 9 seconds gap behind as 2nd place looks all but guaranteed.

Jack Goldsmith get his championship challenge off to the best possible start and collects a win for round 1, 3 months clear of a great 2nd placed Lee Chapman.

3rd Place is gratefully collected by Donny Bolt who weathers the Jonathan Seekings storm holding him off the final podium position.